The Closer You Get, The Better I Feel
by Yuki-Hibiki
Summary: Tonight is the night that Naruto will say those three little word to Sasuke. If only he could work up the courage. Song Fic for a Dido song


*_* hello again it's me. Look I did a songfic. I got this song from Dido's album 'Life for Rent'. It was like an extra track or something hanging on to the end of her last song on the CD, 'See the Sun', so that's why there's really no title. I was listening to it and it just popped into my head that this would be a good song to write a fic too The song and Naruto and Co. don't belong to me blah, blah, blah, you know the drill. Later.

PS: there both 22 so… yeah.*_*

**Edited to the best of my knowledge at this point in time.**

_Song Lyrics_

The fic

**Naruto POV**

_So leave your taxi waiting _

_And turn and close my door_

_And sit back down where you were sitting _

_A little closer then before_

_And when you look the serious_

_It just makes me want you more_

_And I've been meaning to tell you_

I watch as you get up to leave, saying how I'm wasting your time by calling you here. I want to stop you but pride makes me choke on my words. My mind is racing, it's coming up with excuses again, saying I can tell you some other time, that there _is _still time. I've been listening to those phrases for too long now, so I'll stop. I'll screw my pride into a little ball and shoot from the hip. I'll take this chance that has presented itself.

"Wait, don't go. Not yet anyway. I haven't told you why I called you here." The words hit your back as you close the door. For a moment I think I had been just a little too late, but then I hear the door open again. You walk in, staring at me the whole time. You take the only other available seat in my house; it's warm, because for the past 15 minutes you have sat there waiting for me to talk.

You shove the chair around the table a little closer to mine, like your trying to almost trying to make me feel more comfortable and relaxed enough to tell you the thing that has kept me quite all night. You watch me with your dark eyes and your mouth is set it a grim little line. You're so amazing even when you're trying to stare me down. Your facial expression don't change much but over the course of the years we're known each other, and of many hours memorizing each line on your face I can almost see the gears in your head turning, thinking about what it could be that would have me call you over here, only to not say anything.

I think at one point you thought it was funny, Konoha's number one loudest ninja silent for so long. It's just so hard to find the right words to tell you. It puts me on a pedestal to be looked at and mocked. I know that I'm already mocked but that's not really my fault where as this is, I guess you could say. I had meant for things to go along as planned. Call you over, tell you, then see if… well maybe hoping… that you'd stay a little while longer, but that went down the drain. I need something to keep you here just until I have the guts to say it.

"I…I can cook. You wanna try? It's good." Safe. Cooking is safe and I can do it, it's easy too. It'll also give me time, if you say 'yes', that is. You stare at me for a while, I think your shocked. That or ether horrified I'm offering to cook. I'll take the former.

"Yes I can cook, and I'm asking do you wanna try?" I sound almost obnoxious again, like my normal self.

You're thinking about it, I can tell, your eyes slid down to look at the ground slightly and you frown just a smidge. Only if you know what to look for can you tell. Bet your thinking I have a trick up my sleave.

"Ok then. I'll try your cooking." You say it almost as though you're still not quite sure, but it doesn't matter, you're staying longer and that's what I wanted.

_The closer you get, the better I feel_

_The closer you are, the more I see_

_Why everyone says that I look happier_

_When your around _

_The closer you get, the better I feel_

I move to the kitchen, slowly going over in my head, what I have in my cupboard. I have carrot and onion and noodles and… I know I'll make stir-fry. Not very original but it will have to do, although I'm not quite sure if I have the right meat. I go and grab my frog wallet (I've still got Gama-Chan) from the hallway table but then think better of it. What if you leave while I'm away? Anyway, would the shops be open now? I go back to the kitchen and look in the fridge. I should have something; I only went shopping two days ago. And then there it is right, at the back, I knew I brought some. It shouldn't be so hard to forget buying beef when it's so expensive. I take it out and put it with the rest of the food. The whole time I feel your eyes on me, watching every move I make. I turn around and give you a big, goofy smile then turn back to start cooking.

"Do you want me to do anything?" I hear your voice drift through the room. I stop peeling the carrots and look behind me to where you're sitting. You look uncomfortable; sitting there doing nothing while I do all the work, almost as if you can't stand doing nothing while someone else does it all.

"Sure I guess. Come help with these." I point to the carrots and slide over a bit so you can fit in next to me by the small kitchen bench.

The pressure of doing well to impress you soon starts getting to me and every now and then I have to watch carefully that I don't cut myself.

I look up from the carrot and quickly peek out the corner of my eye at how yours are going. We're so close; if I turn I could breathe down your neck. I smile uncontrollably, just thinking about you and…stuff. I think I snicker, because you look over with a puzzled look on your face.

"What are you doing?" I look back up at you with the smile still on my face.

"Oh, nothing. Keep going." I give your shoulder a nudge with my own to continue as well. You give me a weird look and then go back to work, every now and then looking up to see if I'm alright. If we lived together, is this what it would be like? Is this what a happy family is like? I can just imagine us coming home after a big mission and cooking together, eating at the same table and then going to sit down, just enjoying each others company. More thoughts like that run through my head as we continue to make dinner, and then cook it. We make small talk, like how Sakura as finally gotten with Lee, and what missions we've been on since we last saw each other.

**Sasuke POV**

_And yes I know your nervous_

_I've never seen you so unsure_

_You haven't touch you food tonight_

_And your drinking more and more_

_An there's no need to hurry_

_Take your time I'll still be here_

_And I've been meaning to tell you_

Once all the ingredients are cooked you turn the oven off and tell me to sit down at the table. You turn away from me so I can't argue. I'm about to turn and go when I hear you speak over your shoulder.

"Wait, here, take these." You turn and shove something long towards me; I just barely manage to get a grip on them when you quickly turn and continue to serve the food into dishes. I look down, its chopsticks. I don't know what I thought it was and I don't know why I'm almost disappointed. I walk to the table and take a seat waiting for you to set the food down, playing a little with my chopsticks that I have set on the table.

When you do come in, you bring some sake along as well as two cups. You set the plates down and sit in the chair opposite me.

I look down at my own food; the presentation doesn't look to bad if not a bit rushed. I feel you watch with expectant eyes, waiting for me to taste it and tell you what I think.

I slowly pick up my chopsticks and quickly look around for some beef to eat. I pick some up and feel your gaze following the path of my chopsticks up to my mouth, you subconsciously lick your lips, I don't know if it's because of the food or something else, but I'm hoping it's the latter. Popping the meat into my mouth and chewing for a bit I can taste that you are a good cook. I'm kind of surprised that you know how to cook, but you would have to learn how eventually, you can't always eat cup ramen.

"It's good, really good. You should have told me you could cook sooner." You smile at me, and I think I almost see a blush but it's gone so quickly I soon can't remember if it was my imagination or not.

"I know its good you don't need to tell me." You put your hands together soon after, and mutter a quick 'ittedekimasu'.

You try to pick up your chopsticks that I had placed there earlier but they manage to slip out of you hands and back onto the table. You laugh nervously as you pick them up with your left hand, as your other one automatically goes up and rubs the back of your head in a sheepish manner. You try to pick up a bit of meat but it slips out of your grip and onto the table, you quickly move on to a noodle, but that also slips out. You frown at the chopsticks like it's there fault and try again for a piece of carrot. This time you succeed, as they say, 3 times a charm. You look up to see me watching you and give be a big grin, almost like your proud that you ate the carrot. You reach over to the grab sake that you put out with the dinner, but spill it over the table, managing to slosh some into our meals. You mutter curses under your breath as you wipe it up quickly.

You try again to pick up some food but then think better of it and put your chopsticks down and start to draw little patterns with some of the sake that didn't get cleaned up.

By the time I've finished my meal you've only been able to eat a bit, most of your meal is scattered around the table and floor in a full 360 circle, I don't want to know how it got behind you. You've been jumpy right from the moment you started cooking.

I take a glance down at the sake cup to see most of it has gone, only half a cup remains.

You must have drunk a lot of it yourself as I still have my first cup sitting to the left of me.

I've only ever seen you drink when you're nervous; the last time was when you had to tell Hinata that you could only see her as a friend after you had gone out on a few dates. You had been a wreck, a bit like tonight actually.

I put my chopsticks down and look at you, hoping to give off the feeling that I'm not going to go away again. You don't need to rush anymore, I'll still be here.

Whatever it is that you want to say must be big, I watch as you play with your hands over the table, tapping your fingers in a way that reminds me of Hinata.

I feel a pang of jealousy remembering those few weeks when the two of you were dating. It wasn't until after I had watched Neji punch you for hurting Hinata and I thought I might still have a chance, and with the way that tonight was going; big revelations and all, I feel like I might finally be able to tell you.

_The closer you get, the better I feel_

_The closer you are, the more I see_

_Why everyone says that I look happier_

_When you're around, the better I feel_

After a few more minutes of watching you fiddle with everything and anything around you, I can't help but feel like I should be doing something.

"Did you want me to clean up the plates?" My question has you looking up like a stunned deer, you must have been so caught up in your thoughts that you must have forgotten I was here almost.

"Nah just leave them I can do them later, why don't we go sit down on the couch, I can make us some tea?" You're already up and about to pass out of my reach to the kitchen before I can grab your wrist as you pass me by.

"Don't worry about the tea; let's just go sit down ok." I give your wrist a gentle tug before reluctantly releasing it from my grasp.

You scramble into the room like it's the only safe haven and take a seat on the far corner of the couch, right on the edge, looking for all the world like you don't want to be there.

I sit myself down next to you, so close that I can feel the body heat radiating off you like chi.

I take a quick glance around the room and take in all the knickknacks and plants around the place. All your precious memories forever locked in those tiny frames placed around the room, most of them with you and me at different ages smiling, or scowling on my part.

Those photos almost make me feel like I should be here all the time, not just for the random visits. I can even see myself sharing this tiny living space with you, coming back from a hard mission to have those pictures of us, and just us, looking back at me to help me remember why it's all worth it. Why living each day has some meaning to it, and not just to avenge the death of my clan.

I can see it slowing breaking through my angry thoughts and feelings to replace it with a small family held tightly together in our grasped hands. A few years ago that would have scared me, not only would I have been forgetting about my revenge but also that it would have changed who I essentially was back then, now however I feel like I could only become something better if you were here with me.

**Normal POV**

_The closer you get, the better you see_

_The closer you are, the more I see_

_Why everyone says that I look happier_

_When you're around _

_The closer you get, the better I feel_

Naruto looks up from playing with his fingers once again. Both he and Sasuke can feel the tension in the air as unsaid words float around in an almost tangible fashion, just waiting for one of them to reach up and grab them.

Their friends had been saying for years how well they fitted together, at first it was just due to the radical difference in their personalities. Their teachers hoped that if they put them together enough that Sasuke's seriousness would somehow rub of onto Naruto, and that Naruto could teach Sasuke to lighten up a bit and find more in life then just hate.

Once they became friends though, people still said that they fitted together, but now for different reasons. Now they fitted together like two peas in a mutated pod, somehow their friendship worked. All their time sparring and cleaning each other's wounds had taught the young boys the understanding of trust, and gave them the ability to grasp one of life's great gifts, empathy. This was a process of learning that only those two, together, could take, and between the two of them, they both started mending old emotional scars and could finally relate to others.

_The better I feel_

It was Sakura who first noticed that they fitted together in the most simple and pure way. By this time she had given up on chasing Sasuke and had found love in the young man named Rock Lee. It had hit her so suddenly that she wondered how she had never noticed it before. It seemed that when her eyes weren't glued to just Sasuke anymore, she noticed the tiny way each male's attitude would change in just the slightest when the other wasn't around.

When alone, both Naruto and Sasuke, started to shown signs of their former selves. Sasuke's permanent scowl would deepen and somehow Naruto would just become a bit more obnoxious than normal.

The transformation when they were together though was astounding.

Sasuke had actually been known to smile more when the two were seen in public together, even telling the odd joke or two. And ones that weren't at the expense of others.

Naruto seemed to be so enthralled with whatever Sasuke was saying or doing, that his own actions and speech toned down. His normally loud voice dropped down to a casual level, almost so if Sasuke did speak he wouldn't miss a single word.

After a while Sakura couldn't keep this secret knowledge to herself anymore and confided one day with the only girl who had ever dated either of them.

It turned out that Hinata had also noticed that change in both men, as had Neji and Kiba. Eventually it seemed that everyone else could see the way they acted towards each other, and the only ones left to notice where Naruto and Sasuke themselves.

And that was when their friends started dropping hints.

_We've been circling for time, baby_

_Coming down to learn tonight_

_The wait is over now it's easy_

_Everything is fine_

"We've known each other for a long time yeah, been together and told each other so much one could even call us best friends' right?" Naruto's voice cuts through the silence, leaving a resounding echo to ring though both boys' ears. Sasuke turns his head slightly to look at the blonde and in the process; the dip on the couch causes Naruto to lean slightly into him.

Sasuke' nods his head to show that he agrees with what he's just said. He keeps his face neutral except for the slight raise in the left eyebrow, showing interest in where Naruto is taking the conversation.

Naruto sifts a bit in the seat so his body is more at an angle towards Sasuke, so they can talk to each other better.

"I've been going around in circles all night trying to figure out how to word what I want to say exactly right, and I guess that flowed into my actions, but I think I have finally figured out how I'm going to do this." Naruto turns his head away and one of the pictures on the wall, taken at one of the Rookie 9's 17th birthday parties catches his eye. It's one of him standing next to Sasuke, with his arms wrapped around the others waist in a lazy hug, Sasuke's hand are in awkward positions, the one squished between their bodies is resting on the blondes bicep and the other just seems to be in the process of reaching up to his chest. It is when Naruto see this picture that he knows. It is almost fitting that it would be the one thing to catch his eye; other than his companion sitting next to him.

"At first I was thinking of all the ways I could tell you with elegant words and phrases that would have had even Sakura thinking their corny. Then I decided maybe I should just take the direct approach and show you instead, but then I thought of what your reactions might be like and for some reason neither option seemed good enough." Naruto watches as his words slowly sink into Sasuke's brain and after a few seconds of silence Sasuke speaks for the first time since sitting down.

"So then how did you decide to tell me then?" Naruto eyes widen due to the huge smile that light up his face.

"I'm just going to tell you like it is, there is no need for a big show between the two of us." He then proceeds to lean though the small gap between the two of them to plant a soft kiss on Sasuke's lips. He only lingers for a second before leaning back, and with that stunning smile still in place says the three little words that both of them have wanted to say for so long.

"I love you".

_The closer you get, the better I feel_

_The closer you are, the more I see_

_Why everyone says that I look happier_

_When your around, the better I feel_

_The closer you get, the better you see_

_The closer you are, the more I see_

_Why everyone says that I look happier_

_When you're around _

_The closer you get, the better I feel_

There we go, done.

I had originally started this fic back in 07 but due to writers block and so many other things I only got as far as the first part of Sasuke' piece. Since I have found it I finished the res up in one go and have gone back to the first part to tidy it up just a bit.

I know that while Naruto's part is more about what is happening then feelings like Sasuke's is but I find that due to how Naruto wears his heart on his sleeve his actions speak louder then and inner musings.

Sasuke on the other hand... I like getting into his head more. He is much more reserved and so I find you really have dive into his thoughts more, plus he has so much potential to write for.

I wasn't quite sure if I should leave it where I did or do a last paragraph for the final lyrics.

The romantic in me says to leave it up the writer just wants to put that last little bit in, though I'm sure if I did it would affect the feeling at the end.

As always reviews are welcomed and adored but it's not a must for you to do to enjoy my story.

Thanks again for reading one of my stories.


End file.
